Based on the findings, countries are given a transparency score on a 100-point scale using a subset of questions that assess the amount and timeliness of budget information that governments make publicly available in eight key budget documents in accordance with international good practice standards.

According to the survey, since 2015 Hungary has decreased the availability of budget information by reducing the information provided in the government’s budget proposals. The government does produce a mid-year review of the budget but fails to make it publicly available. The government does not issue a pre-budget statement (which discloses the broad parameters of fiscal policies in advance of its budget proposal, and outlines the government’s economic forecast, anticipated revenue, expenditures, and debt).

According to the US State Department’s 2017 Fiscal Transparency Report, Hungary is the only EU Member State that does not meet the minimum requirements of fiscal transparency.

On Monday night, Hungary’s Ministry of the National Economy released a statement accusing the “international list being reported on in the press” as being ordered by none other than George Soros.

“[The list] has one objective: to discredit Hungary,” the ministry wrote. “Hungary prepares its budget in accordance with Hungarian and EU law, we have no desire to meet the expectations of a Soros organization.”